


Gravity Sucks

by Spoodlemonkey



Series: Apartment Au [2]
Category: Fantastic Four
Genre: AU, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Slash, Slice of Life, more comfort though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 10:32:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7044805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spoodlemonkey/pseuds/Spoodlemonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Johnny sprains his ankle. Ben makes an excellent pillow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gravity Sucks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bananaandthena](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bananaandthena/gifts).



> Part of the same universe as (Make Me) Sweat, and a loose prequel.   
> My sister managed to do this Friday night but she doesn't have a comfy Ben pillow to snuggle with.

"I haven't had a piggy back in years." Johnny muses, sounding exhausted. His chin’s resting comfortably on Ben's shoulder, grip secure, trusting, as they make the hike up to their apartment. 

"I could carry ya like a princess if you want." Ben grunts. 

"You just want a kiss." Johnny hums. "But I'm no damsel in distress. I see right through your plans Benjamin Grimm."

Ben wisely doesn't say anything; if he wanted a kiss it wouldn't be from the kid when he's high on whatever pain meds they gave him at the hospital.

Sue doesn't seem surprised when he calls her later in the morning to let her know that Johnny’s managed to sprain his ankle. Reed's passed out in his room, Johnny is passed out on the couch, and Ben is ready to pass out on the  _floor_  but someone has to play adult. 

“He tripped on _what?_ ”

“As far as we can tell gravity.” Ben leans against the counter in their tiny kitchen, watching the peaceful rise and fall of Johnny’s chest. “Reed phoned me at work.”

And wasn’t that a pleasant phone call; the genius had dropped his phone in the _toilet_ of all places a few days before so Ben hadn’t been able to make out more than _Johnny_ and _hospital_. He’s pretty sure he’s gained a few grey hairs.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to cut my trip short?” Suzy sounds ready to hop a plane and hurry back the second Ben lets on that he’s not prepared to deal with a cranky, in pain Johnny. The trip’s important to her though, three weeks working at the labs out in Vancouver, so Ben can suck it up and deal with the kids whining.

"Don't worry about it." He watches the kid sleep and thinks, how hard can it be? "I've got it under control."

Johnny is a  _monster_  when he's cranky and in pain.

He and Reed start a fight over- well honestly Ben thinks it might be over a cushion but who the hell knows- when he steps out of the apartment to grab some groceries. He manages to banish Reed to his labs at school and tries to get Johnny settled back on the couch, but not before the living room becomes a battle zone, covered in books and magazines and whatever else was in reach at the time.

“Reed messed it up.” Johnny moans, arm tossed over his eyes and foot propped up on a separate pillow.

“What’d he do this time?” Ben decides to humor the kid, grabbing a new ice pack from the freezer and replacing the soggy bag of peas they’d been using.

“He tried to fluff my pillows.” The kid gestures to the lumpy mess that’s piled up behind him so he can see the television properly. Yeah, Ben can see Reed’s attempt to play nursemaid.

“I’ll fix it for you.” He offers but Johnny just pouts up at him the way no twenty year old should be able to.

“It won’t be the same.”

“Kid, I don’t know what you want then.” He can feel his temper fraying a little and takes a moment to regret sending Reed away when he could probably just leave the pair to kill each other.

Sue might not forgive him for that one.

“Be my pillow.”

Ben considers protesting but Johnny’s pout intensifies a thousand fold and in that moment he realizes that the kid knows exactly how to pull his strings.

“Alright, sit up.” He instructs and Johnny’s pout melts into a blinding smile that makes his chest tight.

Johnny struggles up with Ben’s help, and then he slides in behind the kid, one leg up on the couch, back against the armrest. Johnny sags back between his spread legs with a happy sigh, pulling Ben’s arms this way and that until they’re wrapped snuggly around him, resting on Johnny’s stomach.

“Comfy?” He asks mouth dry and cheeks warm.

“Oh, _very_.” There’s smugness to Johnny’s voice that Ben chooses not to look into.

Reed finds them that evening, when Ben’s legs have fallen asleep, along with Johnny. Ben’s dozing but wakes himself up at the sound of Reed’s soft laughter.

“Cute guys.” Reed’s got his phone out, taking pictures. Ben glares at him but Reed is impervious to the look. “Sue will love this.”

“Send me a copy.” Johnny mumbles half awake.

Ben groans certain that the world is out to get him.

(He wonders if he can send the picture to himself without Reed finding out.)

(Better yet, without _Johnny_ finding out.)


End file.
